Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) and Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) unveiled legislation in which California State University (CSU) students and the State of California would obtain transparency and improved oversight of state funds and student tuition and fees.
“In 2018, I commissioned an audit from the State Auditor regarding concerns related to fees which support parking operations,” said Quirk-Silva. “The State Auditor found that the CSU Chancellor’s Office did not do its due diligence to explore transportation options before investing in expensive parking facilities funded by increasing student fees.”
Specifically, campuses built expensive new parking structures resulting in increased parking permit fees for students and only minimal parking capacity. The audit also highlighted campuses that built parking facilities not intended for students, though paid for by soaring student permit fees.
“The audit also found CSU did not fully disclose their surplus funds, totaling $1.5 billion,” said Quirk-Silva. “However, during the growth of their surplus funds, CSU increased tuition and received an upsurge in state funding.”
“While students were forced to carry the burden of skyrocketing tuition and non-tuition costs, CSU was sitting on large surpluses that could have been used for direct student services,” said McCarty. “This legislation will provide necessary oversight so we can ensure the needs of students always come first.”
Assembly Bill 1836 requires the CSU Chancellor and the trustees to report specified disclosures recommended by the State Auditor in the CSU Five-Year Capital Plan. In addition, the Chancellor must report to the Legislature annually, on the CSU current balance for discretionary spending on operations and instruction.
